Starfire Has A Tattoo!
by DaeAikanaro
Summary: Starfire has a tattoo. Find out why everyone wants to know what it is, and what happens when someone figures it out. Thanks for reading!


Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. I don't actually own much. Teen Titans included.

"Come on, Starfire! Just tell us!" Beast Boy's obnoxiously loud voice echoed throughout the tower. Robin was sitting before the television, eating stale cereal for dinner while watching old cartoon reruns. Raven was hovering behind him, nose buried in a book. Both spun at Beast Boy's voice, and saw Beast Boy and Cyborg racing after Starfire. She was carrying a laundry basket, and her nose was in the air. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she was in her usual outfit. Cyborg begged her, "Okay, okay, you don't even have to tell us what it is! Just tell us _where_!"

Suddenly, so suddenly, in fact, that Raven nearly dropped her book, Starfire spun on her heel and screeched, "Will you two both be QUIET! I'm not saying another WORD, so the two of you can both DROP IT." She turned again and continued on her way, out the door and away from her fellow titans.

Cyborg's jaw was on the floor, and Beast Boy's eyes were the size of dishes. Defeated, Beast Boy vaulted over the couch and plopped down next to Robin. Robin had watched he entire scene in disbelief. Raven had grown bored with the situation and had gone back to her book. Robin looked at Beast Boy and said, "What was _that_ all about?" Beast Boy turned on him, arms flailing.

"Well, did either of _you_ know that Star has a tattoo?!?" Robin fell off the couch.

"A WHAT?!" He bellowed. Raven was undaunted as she said, "Yeah." The gentlemen's eyes turned on her as Cyborg voiced, "You knew?" Raven looked up from her book and stared at them like they were morons. "Yes. For the four months since she got it." Beast Boy blinked twice and the three hollered in unison, "WELL, WHAT IS IT?!"

Raven touched down and raised her eyebrows, "Um. I'm not sure if you could tell, but I don't think Star wants you three to know. You can try asking her again, but if she doesn't, don't count on me to let you in on it." With that she followed Star's example, turned heel and stalked out through the hall.

Cyborg looked at Robin and said, "Can you remind me again why we live with two females?" Robin waved his hand vaguely and Beast Boy said, transforming into a mouse, "Well if neither will tell us, we'll have to figure it out for ourselves!" And tore off towards Starfire's room. Robin called after him, "I don't think that's such a good idea!" But Cyborg was already hauling Robin after Beast Boy by the scruff of his neck.

The boys found themselves standing before Starfire's door. They were nervously looking among one another until Beast Boy finally said, "Well, Robin? You're the only one with the access codes to our rooms." Robin pulled at his neckline, which seemed to be constricting at the moment, and began, "I'm really not comfortable with--" But Beast Boy and Cyborg drove him in front of the panel. Robin swallowed and punched in the 7 digit number.

The door slid open and all three tentatively tiptoed inside. This was a strange experience for them. Cyborg had been in her room before, when the heating system broke and he had to find the problem (it turned out that Star's heater had been blocked by stuffed toys). Beast Boy had been in before when he and Starfire had been hiding their pet, Silkie. Robin had been in before, just once, right after Starfire had joined the team. Yet it wasn't what they remembered; it had definitely matured a bit. For example, the stuffed toy collection had severely decreased. She now had just a few scattered around the room, and on her bed were the five plushie dolls of themselves, the Teen Titans. Her bed, once one large mass of blankets and painfully purple, had become a simple circular mattress with a deep purple comforter. The posters of pop stars were torn down and replaced with paintings, most of them Raven's, and her frilly lace curtains had been taken down and turned into white drapes. They noticed that outside the window, the sun was setting. All in all, her room had lost its innocent fluffiness, and had assumed a more developed place of residence. They each scurried off, gently lifting up stuffed animals and pieces of clothing in search of clues.

"I told you to leave it alone." Raven's voice drifted in two minutes later from the general direction of the entrance. All three spun, guilty, and saw her leaning casually against the door frame. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head, "Rae! You can't go sneaking around like that! It's not right, you know?" Raven raised her eyebrows, "Oh really? You would know best." Beast Boy clamped his mouth shut. "Out. All of you. If you really want to know, Starfire is on the roof."

The boys backed out of the room, but Raven didn't think they were going fast enough. She wrapped them in a black aura and threw them out of the room. Raven slammed the door behind her and left them in the hall, muttering, "Idiots." Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy stood, rubbing various parts of their bodies, until Beast Boy said, "Well, Robin, you heard her. Star's on the roof! Don't spare us the details!" He turned and marched off, until Robin ahemed loudly. Beast Boy's arms dropped to the floor and he sulked back towards them. Cyborg began, "Well, you _are_ the best option. I mean she likes you best," He added hastily. Beast Boy pushed Cyborg's face away and added, "Plus, we already tried and she wont tell us!" Cyborg pushed Beast Boy back and said, "And you know you want to know just as much as we do!" They coerced Robin into heading towards the roof, threw him up the stairs and then bolted.

Robin fell through the door with such a lack of grace that Starfire sat up in surprise. Upon seeing who it was, however, she set her chin back on her knees again. She stared off into the distant sun and didn't say anything. Robin sat down next to her with his legs hanging off the end of the tower, and just waited. The sun was nearly gone now and Robin said, "Hey Star." She bobbed her head in acknowledgment and Robin decided to cut right to the chase. "You know Cyborg and Beast Boy sent me up her to find out about your tattoo, right?"

Starfire didn't say anything for a full five minutes. Then, as the sun went down she said softly, "Robin, these lights...what are they?" Robin looked off the same direction, and almost laughed. "They're bugs, Starfire. Fireflies." Her eyes turned on him quizzically. "Fireflies...do they burn?" Robin raised his eyebrows and shook his head, "No, they're actually really nice. Here." He caught one for her and showed it. Starfire watched it glow and dim for a few moments before she turned away and said, "They're lovely." Robin extended his hand and let the firefly zoom off into the impending darkness and he turned back to Starfire.

Robin, despite the verbal abuse he was sure to receive from the others, refused to press the matter further. They sat in silence for a while until Starfire asked, "Robin, do you want to know what the tattoo is because Cyborg and Beast Boy want to, or because _you_ want to?" Robin seemed taken aback as he thought about this. A few minutes later he began slowly, "Well...I am curious, but I probably never would have pursued it if they hadn't pushed me up here." Starfire nodded and gave him her left hand. He took it, awkwardly, and she slid her glove off. She turned her hand over and there, on her wrist was a delicate piece of artwork. Robin's jaw dropped as he saw the tattoo.

A small mask, exactly like Robin's was marked there. Before he could say a word, Starfire said, "I cannot see your eyes, Robin, but I feel them. You said that we are superheroes first, and it has taken me a while, but I have come to terms with it. I wanted—needed—something, anything, to keep you with me. And it has been such a...a comfort, these past weeks. It's like you're always here." She tried to pull her hand back but Robin held it tight. She looked at him and he said quietly, "Star, you've been carrying that around for four months, when you could have had the real thing." Starfire's eyes softened and she tried to smile, a sad attempt, really, when Robin grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her sweetly. They broke apart and Starfire, dazed, could only blink. Robin tugged on her ponytail playfully, grinning. She laughed and fell into him, and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

Ten minutes later, darkness swallowed them, and they decided to retreat inside the tower. "What are you going to tell the others?" Starfire asked, pulling on her glove. Robin helped her to her feet, and then proceeded to poke her in the back to direct her towards the entrance to the roof. She swatted away his hand and he said, "Whatever you want me to, I guess. I could just tell them that you wouldn't tell me." Starfire frowned, "I do not think they would believe you, Robin. You _are_ my best friend." They descended the stairs and into the dark hallway. Robin guessed everyone had parted to their rooms because the corridor was empty. "So what...do we...tell...everyone?" Robin asked, between kisses.

Suddenly the lights clicked on mid-kiss and out of the corner of her eye, Starfire could see her three friends at the entrance to the hall. She pulled away and blushed as Cyborg said, "I don't really think you need to tell us anything." Beast Boy said, "Well it took you long enough!" Raven whapped him over the head with her hand. She gave a small smile to Starfire and then ushered a whimpering Beast Boy and a protesting Cyborg into the titans living room.

Robin gave her hand a squeeze and Starfire ventured, "Robin, you do not mind that our friends...?" He gave another boyish grin and pulled her into a hug, saying, "No, Star, I don't mind. Should we go? I bet they're watching a movie, and I have an excellent shoulder to lean on."


End file.
